We know that viewing information on paper causes more emotional processing in the brain than the same information viewed on a screen (see Paper Beats Digital for Emotion), and there’s another way paper might be better: its weight. The idea comes from the same study that found that softer chairs increase negotiating flexibility […]

If the last time you bought a car the salesperson offered you a soft, comfortable chair, there are two possible explanations:
1) The salesperson was genuinely concerned about your comfort during a stressful negotiation.
2) The salesperson knew you would pay more than if you sat in a hard chair.

That’s crazy, right? There’s no way that the firmness of your seat would change how much you’d pay for a car. If anything, a hard seat would make you eager to strike a deal more quickly, perhaps leaving money on the table. If that’s what you are thinking, you’d be wrong. […]